Egg candler



March 27, 1928. 1,663,704

I W L. HOLZMANN EGG CANDLER Filed 00?..12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1928. 1,663,704

w. HOLZMANN V EGG CANDLER Filed Oct. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

' K IN TFEHT erase extent QFF'TIFQZL new GAN DDERs.

' VApplieationifiledOctober 12,: 1925... Ser1a1.'No.-.62, 046.-. I

The. present. invention relates'to candli ng machines, and hasior. anlobjectto. provide.

a. machine of relatively. large: capacity for operation. by. one or: two persons. andQwhich.

5 may be. successfully used. in: country stores,

and. other. places: where. eggs: are brought: in

by. farmersand the likefor. distribution. v

Another object; otthe invention. is to. pro-- videa. machine offthis character. for. turning 1 over. or. agitating. the egg and its. contents.

to more clearly disclose. during...the.slubjecs tion. ofl'the egg. to the light the presence. of

anycmeat or bloo d lspots.-which may. be. pres ent in'theuegg' and fwhich. is the determining factor. asto. the freshnessofthe. egg;

' Theinvention also provides an improved structure. offmachine which may be operated; 7 from w relatively; small electric motor and which is. ofcondensedland simple. construe.-

I and consequently capable of'lgeneral use.

. Aefurtherobject of; the vinventionis .to. provide improved means for ejecting the select eggs from the machine-and positioning such eggs, in a relativelysmall" tray or support Where they may, be easily picked up; for crating or the like. 1 v

'IhJaboive and various other objeetsand advantages of this invention1wil1in part he cl escribedin, and in partbe understood" from the. following I detailed description ofthe present preferred emhodiment,the same be.- ing illustrated in theaccompanying drawings; wherein; a

Fig. 1. is aside elevation of an eggicandling machine constructedaccordihg. to: the present" invention. Fig. 2'is atop-plan -view ofthe same.

Fig; is a fragmentary enlarged" trans verse section takenon the line ,3-3'iof1Fig. 2L and. showi ng the conveyor and upper part; of. the. frame. 7 I, p

Fig. rise fragmentary enlarged. section taken through the upper portion" of the me chine, showing'a numberofeggson the'conveyor and showing the. turninggor agitating means'for the eggs- Fig; 5 is a fragmentary. sectional. view through the rotary receiving-tray into, which the select e'ggs are deposited:

Fig; 6 is a. dtaih perspective viewof one ofthe transverse partitions carried by. the a conveyor," and I 'agmentary. plan: view' of. ablankfrom which a partition is made... Referring'totherdrawings 10 and" 11 tionso that it'may-he economically prodiiced" designate pairstofflegs or uprights. arrangedl at the forward and" rear..end s.offthe-..ma.- chine ancL whichlare;reinforced: by braces .12 or. the:like: 'The. rear. uprights 10 areof. greaten. height than thefront; uprights. l-lQ and. a frame. 131s. arranged longitudinally hetweenthe. pairsof; uprights lflland' lland' carriesiin opposite ends bearing, blocks;

and 15' in. which are mountedtransverse shafts 1'6lland. 1,71. llheshaffilh?atithelinnen I end. ofthemachine.carriesa relativelylarge' pulley or. roller. 18: over. which, is; supported; an endless conveyor 19. ofleathen heltinggor thelilie. 1 i Y Y v7 0 The. forward. shaft: 117' is provided} with a; drivetroller. 20'. which is ofjconsiderabledess diameter than theidle. pulley, 18 and" which. is. so. mounted'in the frame. 13} as to dispose the lower sideoflthe drive: pulley: 2D..i1i,siul:i= stantially the" samehorizontal. plane withthe lower side. of the: idle.. -pu11ey' 181,; They intermediate. upper. portionbf. the frame 13 carries: a. transverseshaft. 21 on. which a: roller 22.13. mounted;, andith'euroll er 22 is sp acedIashorIt distance. forwardly of the. idler- 138. andi'with. its. upper. side. subst'amtially. in. the. horizontall plane of the upper. side ofthe idler 18L. 1

I The frame. 13. isprovided; at; a. suitable point W'ith aanotor. 2'3. connectedl by a. drive. belt'flewith apulley 25 on thefront shaftlfi to. turn: the same. and the. drive roller. 20. for. operatingthe endlessloeltflil The d'rivebelt 19is3 providedwith. apliiv g ralit'y; of suit'ahly; spaced' apart transverse. partitions, shown indetailf ineFigs. ,6; and? 7 T Each partition- 26" comprises a sheet" metal" blank or. strip. which has spaced'openings 27' therein: and connecting;v we'h portions 28. whichare foldedv on lines 29. into oppositely and laterally extending wings 30 forming. between the same and the slotted portions. of the partition separate compartments adapted to individually receive eggsltherein. The partition 2'6is provided alongits lower edge with. laterally, bent flanges-.- 31" adapted. to lie between the jwiiigs 30' and. against thefouterxside of the conveyor or.

drive belt 19.. Rivets32lor the like are.em.- m

ployed, as shown in Fig.4; for securing the flanges 31 acrossthebelt;19.v

Thepartition walls or the main apertured. portions of the partitions 2.6 between the.

wings 30are provided with .fillers or cover.-

ings 33 offlexihlematerial" which are see cured over the openings 27 anoLwhi'ch pro .fin'gers downwardly between the opposed partitions and wings. V I

The bottom of each compartment is formed by the belt 19, and this belt is provided with an opening at the bottom of each compartment and the inarginal edge portion of the belt 19 at each opening 3% is reduced in thickness to provide yielding flaps .35 adapted to lie downwardly under the weight of an egg to hold the same in the opening 34 andto insure the correct positioning of the egg in the compartment.

Means, shown more in detail in Figure 4c is provided for turning or agitating the egg immediately before submitting the egg to the light in order to have the contents of the egg in a disturbed condition it is being tested. To accomplish this result the shaft 7 21 is rovided "with a lar e ear wheel 36 P s e which meshes with a pinion 3! mounted on a shaft 38, and the latter carries a roller 39 receiving thereover a small belt 10. The

v belt 4C0 is also supported upon a second roller 11 mounted in the 13 in spaced relation rearwardly'of the roller 33 and in position to hold the upper run of the small belt e0 against the underside of the'conveyor belt 19, as shown in Fig. i. f

Arranged between the upper and lower runs of the belt 40 between'the rollers 38.

and 41 and carried by the frame 13 in any suitable manner, is'a supporting plate 42 hearing against the underside of the upper run of the conveyor 49 and adapted to support the same against the exposed lower sides of eggs 4C3 which may be placed in the compartments of the conveyor belt. The conveyor 40 is driven in an opposite direction to that in whichthe conveyor belt 19 is operated so that the egg carried in the compartment of the conveyor belt 19 is supported upon the reversely moving belt 4:0 and is agitated or turned over thereby so as to set the contents of the egg in a whirling motion.

The pulley 22is secured to the idler shaft 21 and with the forward movement of the belt 19 the pulley is rotated with its shaft 21 so that the gear 36 turns with and in the same direction as the pulley 22. The forward movement of the gear 36 turns the pinion 37 in the reverse direction so that v the agitator belt 40 which is turned through tilt the turning of the pinion moves in a reverse direct on to that of the belt 19.. A supporting bar it is secured across the top of the frame 13 immediately behind the agitator and carries one or more lamps 45 which project from the bar in such direction as to project the rays of the lamp upwardly through the openings 34: and through the eggs which are in the compartments. A tray 46 is placed at one side of the frame 13, as shown in Figure 2, to receive eggs which under test appear to be stale and these eggs are picked out of their compartments by the operator standing beside the machine. At the opposite side, the frame 13 carries a tray 47, also shown in Figure 2, into which newly delivered eggs may be placed and which are to be tested, these eggs being placed in. the compartments at the forward inclined portion of the machine.

A guard plate i8 is mounted on the frame and extends horizontally beneath the lower titions 26 so as to retain the e s in the com I a: partments when the latter are overturned in their passage to the forward end of the machine. The guard plate is carried rearwardly from the standards or uprights 10 and is'curved upwardly to enclose the rear end of the conveyor belt 19 and receive the they fall out of the openings 3% on to the flexible walls 33 and on to the guard plate over which they slide as they are slid along by the partitions 26.

A chute 19 is mounted upon the forward uprights 11 line with the guard plate 48 for receiving the eggs as they are freed from the partitions 26 as the latter are carried upwardly over the drive roller 20. Spaced forwardly of the'uprights 11 is a post 50 attached bycrossed braces 51 to the uprights and having a foot piece 52 resting on the floor or ground to support a rotatable tray The tray 53 is provided with an upper concave face and has a depending hub5 1' the tray 53. A pulley 56 is mounted on the I hub 54 and receives a belt 57 over which is carried backwardly to a smaller pulley 58 on the lower end of the shaft 59 mounted between the uprights 11. The shaft 59 is connected to the drive shaft 17 by bevel gears 60 so that the tray 53 may be turned slowly during the operation of the machine. A spring arm 61 is mounted on one of the uprights ll'and overhangs the tray 53 for the purpose of receiving eggs thereagainst and directing themtoward the lower central portion of the tray, the arm 61 being offset as shown in Fig. 2 for this purpose.

' The turning of the tray 53 is adapted to retard the forward movement of the eggs so that they will not collide with each other a meager when they are released fromthe compartments; 7 r In operation, a quantity of eggsmay' be deposited in the tray 47'and individually removed therefrom andplaced in the compartments of the conveyor belt 19. As the belt 19imoves rearward'ly at its upper run,

' the eggs are brought to the agitator 40 so that the contents of theeggs are disturbed and set in motion. While the contents of the eggs-are still "in" motion, the eggs are brought over the lamps 4,-5 so that theeggs may be tested. a The eggs which do not come up to the desired standard are then picked outof the compartments-and may be placed in the other tray 46. As the conveyor 19 continues-tomove the select eggs are carried thereby downwardly over the guard plate.

and deposited on the chute 49 from which the eggs roll on tothe rotating tray-53, the spring arm 61 directing the eggs toward the center of the tray. The tray 53 is of Suthcient size to hold a large number of eggs so that the latter may be conveniently removed for packing or to be disposed of in any desired manner for shipment and sale.

I An electric cord 62 may be. connected to the motor 23 for driving it, and may also be extended to the lamps 45, the illustration being merely diagrammatic asthe details of wiring may be carried out in any well known manner.

'wardly, an agitator belt mounted in the frame, means for turning the agitator belt in a reverse direction from the endless belt whereby to agitate the eggs, means for sup porting the upper run of the agitatorbelt, a 'movable tray operable by said driving means for receiving the eggs from the endless belt whereby to retard the forward movement of the eggs, and lights in the frame, said endless belt' having a plurality of open ended compartments thereon adapted to movably hold the eggs, said compartments being adapted to pass over the lights subsequent to agitation by the agitator belt.

2. An egg candling machine comprising a frame structure, a conveyor belt mounted for movement on the frame, driving means for moving the belt forwardly, an agitator belt rotatably mounted on the frame, means for cooperatively moving said agitator belt reversely of said conveyor belt, egg compartments on saidconveyorbeltta supporting platefor theupper run-of'said agitator'bel't, light'means mounted on 'said-frame,ja rotatabletray mounted on the frame, and a guard secured to the frame and extending outwardly above said tray whereby to pre:

vent e s on the tra A from strikin e s released from the]compartments;

3. An egg candlmg machlne comprlsmg I a-body frame, a conveyor belt rotatably mounted on said frame, driving means for moving the belt forwardly, an agitator" belt on the frame and adapted for movement I reverselyof said conveyor belt, a: plurality of compartments on said conveyor belt, said compartments comprising side and end iwalls, an open top and a flexible bottom, said mit the egg to partially protrude therethrough for engagement with the agitator belt, a tray pivotally carried by said frame and adapted for movement by saiddriving flexible bottom being partially open to permeans, a guard on the frame extending outwardly over said tray, light meanson the frameandadapted to project lightup wardly through the compartment bottoms,

and a guard platecarried by the frame for retaining the eggswithin the compartments.

4. An egg candling machine comprising a body frame, an endless belt rotatably carried by the frame, driving means for movring the endless belt forwardly, an agitator belt on the frame having its upper run adacent the upper run of said endless belt, means for moving said agitator vbelt reversely of said endless belt, a'plurality of compartments secured to said endless belt, a

tray rotatably mounted on said frame and i adapted to receive the eggs released from the compartments, light means for, illuminat ng the eggs after agitation by said agitator;

belt, and a guard for retaining the eggs in the compartments. I

5. An egg candlmg machine comprising a body frame, a conveyor belt mounted for rotation on the frame, driving means for driving the belt, egg retaining compartments on the belt, said compartments having an open top and a partially closed flexible bot tom, agitating means mounted on the frame and adapted to agitate the eggs when they are moved with the conveyor belt, light means for illuminating the eggs subsequent to agitation, guard means on the frame for retainingthe eggs in the compartments, and

a pivotal receiving'tra-y for receiving the eggs from the compartments, said tray being adapted to prevent the eggs from colliding with each other. 1

6; An egg candling machine comprising a frame, a conveyor belt rotatably mounted on the frame, driving means for driving the belt, egg compartments carried by thefbelt, agitating means onvsaid frame for agitating the eggs in said compartments, means the eggs in the compartments on the lower run of the belt, and a pivotal receiving tray.

adapted .to receive the eggs from the compartments.

7 An egg candling machine comprising an endless belt, means for driving the belt, transverse partitions carried across the outer side of the belt, each partition comprising a metallic striphaving a plurality of open frames therein and connecting Webs over turned at opposite ends upon themselves to provide spaced Wings extending from opposite sides of the partitions and having attaching flanges at their lower edges between the Wings, said partitions being arranged on the belt in closely spaced relation to provide individual egg compartments between the Wings and the frames, flexible sheets secured over the open frames of the partitions to provide flexible supports for-the eggs, said belt having openings therein at the bottoms of the compartments to expose the eggs therethrough, a reversely operating belt arranged beneath the upper run of the first belt to engage the exposed portions of the eggs for turning the same, and lights arranged beneath the upper run of the first belt closely adjacent to the rear end ofthe second belt for illuminating the eggs immediately subsequent to agitation.

WILLIAM L. HOLZMANN. r 

